Many methods of constructing multi-story buildings exist. Traditionally, multi-story buildings have been constructed from the ground up, in which construction of the building begins on a ground level by attaching higher elevation structural elements on top of previously assembled lower structural elements to construct the building in upward direction, i.e., from bottom up. This construction method requires that the structural elements be lifted by a crane and connected in situ at elevation. This is particularly time-consuming and costly when constructing tall buildings.
Known methods for constructing high-rise commercial buildings may be inefficient. Presently, structural framing elements may be assembled into a building frame one member at a time, well above ground level. Tower cranes may be used to facilitate construction, which may include executing thousands of individual lifts for each element of the structure, building enclosure, finishes, mechanical and electrical equipment and many other components of a finished building.
One known construction technique includes locating columns and other load-bearing elements directly beneath each other, extending vertically downward through the structure of a multi-story building. Transfer beams are horizontal beams that may be used where necessary to eliminate one or more inconveniently placed vertical load-bearing elements on a given floor level or levels. This is done to open an area to better accommodate a function, expand an underground parking structure, create a floor opening for an atrium, or for a similar purpose. Transfer beams fabricated from steel alone have a vertical depth that is designed to carry the load of the building. The vertical depth of steel transfer beams may interfere with the space below the beam, thus limiting its utility or creating a need to increase vertical height of a building and/or increase vertical depth of the subsurface portion of a building to achieve a desired function such as parking in certain circumstances and configurations.